The Arena is Cook-ing up some laughs.

Standup megastar Dane Cook is bringing his stadium-packing act to the Spokane Arena at 8 p.m. tonight, Dec. 1, as part of his ISolated INcident Global Thermo Comedy Tour. Touted as the largest comedy tour in history, Cook comes to Spokane fresh off the announcement of his Comedy Central special. Having performed in front of a combined live crowd of 70,000 people with "Vicious Circle" on HBO and "Rough Around The Edges" on Comedy Central, the comic is establishing himself as one of the most successful funnymen of his generation. Tickets to the Arena performance are $35 and $65 and are available at the Spokane Arena box office, at 720 W. Mallon, and through Tickets West at www.ticketswest.com or 800-325-SEAT.

Oh Christmas tree. How elegant are thy branches.

The 12 days of Christmas Tree Elegance 2010 are in full swing, with a variety of events planned at the Davenport Hotel. The Holiday Luncheon and Style Show is from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. today, Dec. 1, through Friday, Dec. 3, in the Grand Pennington Ballroom. Tickets for the lunch/style show are $40 each, by reservation only. The 28th Annual Gala Dinner Dance starts with a 6 p.m. champagne reception Friday night, followed by a 7 p.m. dinner and dancing till midnight. Gala tickets are $125 each, by reservation only. An Evening With Eckart & Friends starts at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, with an hour of the popular conductor's favorite holiday music. Cost is $10 at the door. The Davenport Hotel Holiday Hat Luncheon is from 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6. For reservations to that luncheon, call 509-789-6863. For information on other events, go to www.spokanesymphonyassoc.org.

'Tis the season to be jolly, in four-part harmony.

The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Show is coming to the INB Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3. The show is essentially two concerts in one. The harmonic four-man country group will play its timeless classics-"Elvira" and "Bobby Sue," among others-in the first half of the show. After an intermission, the stage will become a winter wonderland, and the Boys will sing songs for the holidays. Tickets are $48 and $38 and are available at the Spokane Arena box office, at 720 W. Mallon, and through Tickets West at www.ticketswest.com or 800-325-SEAT.

"A Taffeta Christmas" has some good material.

The Lake City Playhouse will premier "A Taffeta Christmas" with an opening-night performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3. The endearing singing sisters from Muncie are back in this hometown production featuring their favorite holiday songs. Additional performances are planned at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. After opening weekend, the show runs Thursdays through Sundays until Dec. 19. Tickets are $19 for adults, $17 for veterans, and $15 for seniors. For tickets, go to the Lake City Playhouse box, at 1320 E. Garden in Coeur d'Alene, or call 208-667-1323.

The last First of 2010 is here.

Forty-some studios, retailers, offices and other venues in and around downtown Spokane will be open into the evening for First Friday, from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3. At Barili Cellars, at 608 W. Second, artist Debbie McCulley will debut the wine series she recently completed while guitarist Fawnell MyFanwy performs. At the Globe Bar and Grill, at 204 N. Division, artist Scott Gyllstrom, who made his debut at Terrain 2010, is presenting a full show, with featured works by Ruben Villarreal as well. Avenue West Gallery, at 122 S. Monroe, will host an artist's reception for impressionistic oil painter Marsha Marcuson's new exhibit "Celebrating Change." For a full list of venues and events, go to www.downtownspokane.org.

Domo Arigato Mr. DeYoung.

Former STYX lead singer Dennis DeYoung is coming to the Northern Quest Resort & Casino at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, and will be performing all of the hits from the 30-plus-year rock career. Classics he penned include "Lady," "Best of Times," and "Mr. Roboto," among many others. Tickets are $55 and $45 and are available through Northern Quest at 877-871-6772 or through Tickets West at www.ticketswest.com or 800-325-SEAT.

Late in the year, ArtWalk happens early.

ArtWalk in downtown Coeur d'Alene comes a week early this month, with about a dozen galleries open from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3. Typically on the second Friday of each month, ArtWalk gives art fans an opportunity to peruse galleries earlier this month. The featured gallery this month is Devin Galleries, at 507 Sherman. For a full list of galleries and featured works, go to www.artsincda.org.

'Twas not sold out. Yet.

The Spokane Civic Theatre already has sold out its entire run of "White Christmas," but there is still opportunity to see a Christmas show at Civic. The Spokane Civic Theatre Academy students will put on "'Twas The Night Before Christmas..." for the Academy Scholarship Benefit Night Sunday, Dec. 5. The show tells the story of the Christmas Eve of 1822 and the events that inspired the classic Clement Clarke Moore poem. A silent auction starts at 6 p.m. that evening, with the one-hour performance beginning at 7 p.m. All tickets are $15 are available at the Civic box office, at 509-325-2507 or through Tickets West at www.ticketswest.com or 800-325-SEAT.

Major artist and master bookmaker at the MAC

Stop by the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Browne's Addition this Saturday, Dec. 4 for the exhibit opening of Timothy C. Ely: Line of Sight. Ely's books are imaginative and beautifully bound and integrate Eastern and Western religious and mystical traditions among other areas of human inquiry. For this exhibit, he is creating a 20 feet wide by 10 feet high unique work directly onto the wall of the gallery. A Conversation with Tim C. Ely and Breon Mitchell, Director of Indiana University Lilly Library will be at 3pm with reception following at 4pm. For more information, visit
www.northwestmuseum.org.

Stop by Laguna Cafe for great Jazz

Jazz music continues this weekend at the Laguna cafe. Friday, Dec. 3 features Nick Schauer on guitar, Ron Kieper on sax and special guest Casey Wilkensen on piano. On Saturday, Dec. 4, Nick Schauer on guitar and Doug Folkins on bass. Music is from 6:30 to 9pm. Laguna Cafe is located at 4304 S Regal.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party - 'Tis the season for questionably fashionable attire to become undoubtedly fashionable for the annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. This year's sweater soiree is a bit bittersweet, as it's also the farewell show for a favorite local indie-rock band, The Toy Garden. The event features a special acoustic performance by Flying Spiders, a new organic hip-hop supergroup that features yours truly on vocals, accompanied by hand percussion, violin, acoustic guitar, upright bass, flute and jingle bells. There are a total of seven acts performing on two stages, including Reverb, The Most Adorable Murder, Gun of the Sun, Jimmy Nuge and DJ Likes Girls. The party starts at 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 4, at The A Club, 406 1/2 W. Sprague. Cost: $3, or free with an ugly sweater, 21 and older only.

Noize for Toyz - Local hard rock bands come together for the yearly Noize for Toyz benefit for Toys for Tots, highlighted by the return of Lucid. The Spokane rock fixture is back with a new lead singer, London Get Down's Morgan Mallory and a new bassist, Christian Fluaitt. Lucid is putting the finishing touches on a new album. Lend a little Christmas kindness to families in need and take in some heavy jammin' at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 3, at The Knitting Factory Concert House, 919 W. Sprague. Cost: $8 in advance, $10 day of show, or free with a new toy donation. Tickets available through www.ticketfly.com.

Needtobreathe - South Carolina Christian rock giants Needtobreathe has been on a scorching tour in support of its latest album, last year's "The Outsiders." The band has sold out venues all across the U.S., so expect a crowded house when Needtobreathe tops a bill with Daylights, starting at 8 p.m. on Sunday, December 5, at The Knitting Factory Concert House, 919 W. Sprague Ave. Cost: $20, through
www.ticketfly.com.

The Expendables - No, it isn't the musical for Sly Stallone's newest action endeavor. This group of Expendables specializes in surf-reggae rock party anthems. With a new album critics are hailing as The Expendables best studio set yet, the Santa Cruz crew comes with John Brown's Body, and C-Money & the Players, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7, at The Knitting Factory Concert House, 919 W. Sprague Ave. Cost: $13 in advance, $15 day of show, through www.ticketfly.com.

The Lonely Forest - Anacortes indie-rock quartet The Lonely Forest recently released its second EP, a self-titled joint preceding their forthcoming third full-length album, "Arrows." The Lonely Forest has been getting a lot of national buzz since becoming the first band signed with Trans Records, an imprint of Atlantic Records run by Death Cab For Cutie producer Chris Walla. The Lonely Forest appears at 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 2, in the HUB at Whitworth University , 300 W. Hawthorne Road. The show is free.

These songs come from the heart.

The Fifth Annual HeartSongs concert, featuring songs of family experiences with homelessness and their paths to stability, is at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at the Bing Crosby Theatre. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Proceeds from the concert go toward gas vouchers for the choir members and donations to Interfaith Hospitality and Volunteers of America's CrossWalk, a shelter for teens. For tickets, call the Covenant Christian Church at 509-448-1311 or go through Tickets West at www.ticketswest.com or 800-325-SEAT.

Enjoying this dinner show isn't a crime.

The Lion's Share second annual Holiday Dinner Theatre features "Kidnapping Christmas," a show featuring a multigenerational cast that talks about the values we share during the holidays. The show opens with a 6:30 p.m. performance Friday, Dec. 3, at the Lion's Share, at 1627 N. Atlantic, followed by a shows Saturday, Dec. 4, and the following Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets for dinner and the show are $45 each and are available by calling 509-327-1113. For more information, go to www.lionaround.org.

SPORTS CORNERActually, an Inferno sounds nice right about now.

The Big Sky Champion Eastern Washington University football team will host a first-round FCS playoff game at 1:05 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, on the Inferno red turf at Roos Field in Cheney. Join the Eagles faithful as they take on the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks to determine who lives to play another week. Tickets are $20 each for adults, $10 for seniors, and either $30 or $40 for a Family Pack. If you buy tickets to the first-round game, you'll have the option of buying the same seat for the second-round game, should the Eagles advance. For tickets, go to www.goeags.com or call 509-359-4339.

NAME THAT FLICK.

"You don't need a man, Liz. You need a champion."

Name the movie that line appeared in and win a $20 gift certificate to the Cathay Inn, at 3714 N. Division! Send your best guess and your phone number to
info@entertainmentspokane.com. The winner will be selected at random from correct entries and will be announced in next week's e-newsletter. The deadline for entries is noon on Friday, Dec. 3.

Last Week's Winner: Barbara Wunderlich knows The Shootist!

Last week's movie quote was, "My friend, you have two ways to leave this establishment: immediately or dead." Wunderlich correctly guessed that it was from the 1976 John Wayne classic "The Shootist" and won a $20 gift certificate to the Cathay Inn, at 3714 N. Division.
Send your entertainment news to info@entertainmentspokane.com

Entertainment Spokane! is an Ed Clark production.

For over 35 years Ed Clark has served the needs of Spokane area hospitality, restaurants and entertainment businesses in reaching greater audiences. Since 2002, Ed has delivered the Spokane “How’s Business?” e-mail newsletter that reaches nearly 6000 readers weekly.